Rolling-mill.



WILLIAM GILDERSLEEVE, OF MARTIN'S FERRY, OHIO.

ROLLING-MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. d, 1917..

Application filed May 11, 1917. Serial No. 167,936.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GILDnnsLnnvE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Martins Ferry, county of Belmont, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rolling-Mills, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to rolling mills, and it has for its object to provide means whereby the free end of a train of rolls, or that end opposite the drive, is rendered comparatively free from vibration; whereby back-lash in the rolls at the free end of the train is prevented, thus dispensing with the necessity or occasion for employing the usual power-consuming drag; whereby momentum is aiforded for obtaining substantially uniform rotative speed, resisting sudden retardations due to the introduction between the rolls of metal to be rolled or shaped; and whereby, in case a roll of the train is broken, the remaining rolls beyond the break will be actuated to continue their rotation throughout a sufficient length of time to permit the motive power to be cut ofi, thus preventing the injury to and derangement of the machinery which is frequently incident to a sudden stoppage of the rolls beyond the break.

With these and other objects in View, the invention resides in the features of construction which will hereinafter be described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention illustrating its application; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views showing modified forms of gearing.

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates a plurality of sets of rolls disposed in a connected train driven through cables 2 or equivalent means passed over a drive-wheel or drum, as 3, located at one end of the train, as ordinarily. Coupled to the free end of the train is a shaft 4: carrying a flywheel 5 of suitable size and weight. Said shaft 4 may be disposed in line with the train and coupled directly, or without intermediate gearing, to the neck of one of the rolls of the last set in the train, as shown in Fig. 1, or any appropriate character of gearing may be employed for causing the fly-wheel to revolve at a relatively higher or lower speed than said rolls, as may be deemed desirable in any particular case. The modifications illustrated in Figs. 2 and 8 typify gearings the use of which may be found advantageous in some trains under certain conditions. In Fig. 2 the shaft 4:, which is designed for direct coupling to the neck of one of the rolls 1 of the last set in the train, carries a gear 6 in mesh with a smaller gear, or pinion, 7 fixed on a countershaft 8 which carries the fly-wheel 5 In Fig. 3 the shaft 4", corresponding to shaft 4* in Fig. 2, has a gear 6 in mesh with a smaller gear, or pinion, 7 fixed on a countershaft 8 which also carries a gear 9 in mesh with a smaller gear or pinion 10 located on a second countershaft 11 which carries the fly-wheel 5. As is manifest, the gearings shown in said Figs. 2 and 3, provide for the driving of the fly-wheelat relatively higher speeds.

As hereinbefore indicated, one of the chief aims of the provision of the fly-wheel at the end of the train of mills opposite the driving end is to prevent the back-lash and vibration of the free end of said train and thus to obviate the necessity for employing the usual roll-steadying drag which, while more or less effective, consumes a very large amount of the driving power. A further objection to the use of the drag is that, when breakage of a roll in the train occurs, particularly when the line of fracture extends diagonally, it induces a sudden, or practically instantaneous, stoppage of those rolls located beyond the break, resulting in their presenting a braking force to those rolls which continue to be propelled by the driving power to the extent that serious injury to and derangement of machinery is entailed. This objection is obviated by my invention which, as is obvious, provides for a continuance of rotation of the rolls beyond a break, actuated by the impelling force produced by the momentum of the fly-wheel, with a gradual slowing down of the speed of said rolls which may be approximated by the driven rolls upon promptly cutting off the motive power.

Another important end attained by the invention is that the fly-wheel, by its momentum, serves to resist sudden retardations of rotative speed of the rolls and relieves the driving machinery from the efiects of sudden shocks which might otherwise prove damaging.

What is claimed is 1. In a rolling mill, the combination With a plurality of sets of rolls arranged in a train, of a shaft coupled to the last set of rolls in the train at the end opposite the drive for said train, and a fiy-wheel carried by said shaft.

2. In a rolling mill, the combination with a plurality ofsets of rolls arranged in a train, of a fly-wheel disposed at the end of and coupled to said train opposite the drive and driven through the latter and adapted 1 to prevent back-lash of said end and to reduce the liability to-damage resulting from the breakage of a roll in the train.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM GILDERSLEEVE. Witnesses:

H. E. DUNLAP, CLYDE F. AMos.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G? 

